Japanese troops fly into South Sudan

Japanese troops with a authorization to use force have arrived in South Sudan to join the UN peacekeeping mission in the conflict-hit country. A total of 60 Japanese troops landed in Juba. Another 250 are to arrive to replace a previous contingent of Japanese peacekeepers who served in the UN force in South Sudan. More than 100,000 people have fled South Sudan since 2013 following the outbreak of conflict between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his sacked rival, Rief Machar.

Since the end of World War II, this is the first time that Japan has given its peacekeepers the power to use force protect civilians.